The True Size of...uses Google Maps and drag and drop technology to allow you to compare the size of any two countries. Because normal maps have a certain amount of distortion, sometimes it's hard to see real size differences on a standard map. Just type in the name of any county. Once highlighted, drag the country to any location on the map to compare. Hover over the country to view statistics with the actual size. When finished, right click and start over.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

The True Size of... is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Use to demonstrate size differences in countries. Have students use this site when presenting reports of nations around the world. Have a new student from another state or country? Use this site to begin a discussion of the comparable size of where they came from to where your classroom is located. This tool would be especially valuable when explaining the concept of map scale or square miles/meters. Use The True Size of... to compare locations students read about in Globetracker's Mission, reviewed here, or books they are reading. Include it in discussions about the impact of a country's size on its culture in world language or cultures classes. Use an online tool such a Creately, reviewed here, to create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast different countries.

Understanding Sacrifice takes you beyond the facts and figures of World War II battles and provides activities based on the stories of fallen American heroes. Browse the site to find Northern Europe and Mediterranean battle sites or learn about individual fallen heroes. Choose the Activities link to view lessons correlated to Common Core Standards for grades 6-12. Search options also allow you to find lessons by grade level or subject. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

This site is a must-see for any teachers of World War II history. Take students beyond the information about battles to learn about individuals and their role and sacrifices. Be sure to take advantage of the extensive information included in each activity including assessments, lesson extensions, and adaptations. Have students choose one of the stories, then research the battle to learn more about the event's relationship to the war. Have students create maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and battle locations to tell the story of fallen heroes. Ask local veterans to visit your classroom and share their stories with your class.

This CNN interactive takes an in-depth look at vanishing species around the globe along with the reasons for their disappearance. Scroll through to discover how humans are causing species to go extinct at a rate 100 times faster than normal. Watch videos as scientists describe physical changes occuring on the earth's surface, view interactives demonstrating animal habitat changes, and more.

In the Classroom

This site is perfect for use on interactive whiteboards as an introduction to any unit on animals, habitats, or earth conservation. Explore together, then allow students to explore in depth on their own. Have students either individually or as groups choose a topic found on this site to research further. If you are new to integrating technology you may want to have students create a presentation using Slidestory, reviewed here. Looking for something different? Have students use Microsoft Sway, reviewed here, to create an interactive presentation including charts, videos, and images.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from May 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Want to go paperless? Try Google Classroom, an online tool that incorporates G-Suite apps into a dynamic classroom environment. Learn how to create, distribute, and grade assignments. Understand how to organize class resources, post announcements, and questions. Google Classroom makes it easy to coordinate and organize your G-Suite and tech-infused students projects. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels. NOTE: To participate you must be able to sign into a Google account that has been set up by your school district. You must have access to G-Suite with Google Classroom turned on. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Set up a basic Google Classroom; (2) Create an assignment and import a document into either a question, announcement or topical post; and (3) Plan for the use of Google Classroom in their setting.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Find open source pictures from around the world with Pic4Carto. Zoom in on the map until you view grids positioned over each area, then choose a cell to display available images. Play all images as a slide show or scroll through pictures one at a time. Images are imported from sites such as Flickr and Wikimedia Commons and include attribution information. Upon finishing a set of slides, users are prompted to browse nearby areas or return to the map.

In the Classroom

Use any part of this map for your school projects. Share the maps on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create stories about visiting in these places to share with others. Challenge students to create a digital presentation on a map location rather than write an essay or present a paper poster. If you're just beginning the process of integrating technology in your classroom, use Prezi, reviewed here, which is much like PowerPoint or Keynote but allows for "zoomable" content. If you are more experienced in the integration of technology, try Lucidpress, reviewed here, where students could produce a variety of products. If you teach geography, Pic4Carto is a must; it is also helpful for showing students WHERE a story or news event takes place. If you have a new road in your area, share the difference between this map and older ones found online.

Take a virtual tour of several of the world's most famous places with Google Earth VR's preview gallery. Begin by selecting from landmarks such as the Rome Colosseum or Hoover Dam. Move around with your cursor to see the 360-degree view, or watch as the preview takes you on tour. Be sure to click on the square icon near the bottom of each show to open up each virtual reality to a full-screen view.

In the Classroom

Immerse your students in your studies with a close-up, in-depth look through virtual field trips. Visit places where time, money, and mileage inhibit your dreams for bringing your students into wondrous worlds. Find ways to visit where your class has never gone before. Find the means to motivate your most reluctant learners. Small groups or individual students can focus on one of the tours and use as a starting point for additional research. ESL/ELL learners will appreciate the visual tours. Reach all types of learners through a class visit. Use these virtual reality tours as a whole class anticipatory guide, a center activity, a home connection, or even as extra credit. Challenge your gifted students to be guides to their own learning. Make your class go global! For other virtual tours, try Listly Virtual Field Trips, reviewed here.

Google Earth presents this showcase library of tours, videos, and imagery from planet Earth and beyond. Choose from diverse topics including the Hubble Telescope, Mars, Hereos of Google Earth, and 3D imagery to begin your journey. Each category leads to several video presentations sharing the world with us. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Bookmark this site to use throughout the year with lessons on climate change, oceans, explorers, and much more. As an end of the year project, allow students to choose their area of interest from this showcase. Then, have students watch videos, and create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here. In language arts, during a study of heroes, use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast features of Heroes of Google Earth against cartoon heroes.

Explore the world's oceans with Google Earth. Watch videos sharing life below the surface of the world's oceans. Select from videos with topics including the Titanic, ocean floor, deep sea vents, or whale protected areas. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as Freemake Video Converter, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Benefit from the many free videos to learn more about the world's oceans and explorations. Have students select one of the videos to use as a starting point for further research. Ask students make a multimedia presentation to present their findings using Acclaim, reviewed here, that allows annotation of video, or Zeetings, reviewed here. Zeetings allows adding polls, videos, embeds, web links, PowerPoint, and PDFs.

GeoQuiz is a quick and easy to play geography game. Choose to respond using audio or text while playing. Players have one minute to correctly identify as many countries as possible based on pin placement on a map.

In the Classroom

Share GeoQuiz on classroom computers for use with learning centers. Play GeoQuiz together as a class on your interactive whiteboard as a quick transition to start social studies or other activities. Challenge students to increase their number of correct answers in a minute or have a class challenge with a small reward for each monthly winner.

Bring a Smithsonian scientist to class through live webcasts including the ability to respond to questions in real-time. Choose the link to the schedule to view and register for upcoming webcasts. No worries if you missed a session, go to the archives to see all previous sessions and view corresponding teaching resources. Resources include videos, lessons, online activities, rubrics, and more. Each webcast also provides correlation to Next Generation Science Standards.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the many free resources on this site to use in your classroom. Watch webcasts together on an interactive whiteboard, or have students view at home and bring their questions and comments to class. Use this site for enrichment for gifted learners to dig deeper into science concepts. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own science videos using a tool like Stupeflix, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Have students make a multimedia presentation demonstrating science concepts using Zeetings, reviewed here. Zeetings' features allow for audience participation, polls, video, embeds, web links, and more.

Wall of Birds is a cool interactive map from Cornell's Bird Academy based on an epic mural Found at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The site features species found around the world spanning 375 million years using content from the All About Birds website, reviewed here. The colorful world map depicts 243 birds, one from each taxonomic family, showing where to find each on the globe. Find extinct species on the mural in black-and-white, and you can zoom in and out and pan to see the progression of evolution that led to modern birds. Click on each bird picture and a window opens with its name, family name, natural history, a sound file of its call, and a map showing where to observe it. A social media aspect lets you vote for favorites and check out a leaderboard.

In the Classroom

This enticing and engaging site will stimulate interest in birds at any level and works on any device. Explore the world of birds on an interactive whiteboard or projector with your whole class or have small groups or individuals research particular species. The lower right-hand navigational buttons, help explore the map and lead to other content about it. Using the map as an example, have students create their own maps featuring local, national, or international animals using Google Maps, reviewed here, or on paper. Research birds online using Audubon Adventures, reviewed here, or with bird guidebooks. Using a mobile device, have students collect their own bird pictures and calls to share in an online presentation, using a tool such as Sway, reviewed here, or on a Google Map. After watching the "Behind the Scenes" video whose link is in the right-hand corner of the Wall, have students work collaboratively to create a class mural of local birds or other topics.

Discover and learn about changes to forests from around the world with this interactive tool. Explore the data from three different perspectives - countries, ecosystems, and hotspots. The Global Forest Change Explorer also includes a downloadable curriculum and a four-page questionnaire for students to guide them around the site and test knowledge.

In the Classroom

Encourage students to explore this tool with a focus on a specific area or country. Have them create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here. Have students create commercials with their ideas for saving the forests using a tool such as Powtoon, reviewed here.

bioGraphic is a stunning multimedia magazine showcasing nature and solutions to sustaining life on earth. Scroll down the home page to browse through the latest articles and be prepared to be drawn in through the beautiful imagery included! Browse by specific topics such as wildlife, places, or people, or use the keyword search. Be sure to click on the three dots next to the search icon that enables you to choose from specific types of content such as videos, photos, or immersive experiences.

In the Classroom

Even if you don't teach science, you and your students will love this magazine because of the beautiful images shared! Use bioGraphic for informational reading in your Language Arts classroom. Include a link on classroom computers for students to read on their own. In science class share bioGraphic articles as a starting point for any unit on animals, for social studies, use bioGraphic to learn more about places around the world and the people that live there. Have cooperative learning groups create online books about information learned on this site using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Don't forget to subscribe to bioGraphic to receive updates as new articles are added to the magazine.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from November 2016, opens in Adobe Connect. Explore the teacher-friendly features of TeachersFirst to help you save time in developing technology infused lessons. Participants will learn new strategies to incorporate the tools of the web successfully into any classroom. As a result of this session and through individual follow-up, teachers will: (1) Locate resources within TeachersFirst to provide real-world learning experiences for their students; (2) Locate and evaluate effective, web-based tools and resources in support of teaching and learning, both for themselves and for their students; (3) Evaluate TeachersFirst membership features applicable to their individual technology expertise and teaching situation; (4) Find solutions to individual questions or practical problems of their teaching situation by exploring TeachersFirst and/or asking live questions during the session; and (5) Plan to use the features of TeachersFirst's value-added reviews to plan technology infused lessons. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

The Volunteers: Americans Join World War I, 1914-1919 curriculum has 22 lesson plans, and examines the volunteer service of Americans, primarily during the period of U.S. neutrality before entering the war. Each lesson has extensive resources and activities, including national and global standards, objectives, background essay, essential questions, instructions, activator or introduction, extension activity, assessments, teaching tips, student materials and handouts, plus links to maps, articles, websites, books, and videos. Lessons are primary-source-intensive with a wide variety of text types, promoting historical analysis skills and construction of knowledge. The topics include discussions of why people volunteer, what are humanitarian organizations, and what were women's roles in volunteer service in World War I as related to women's fight for equality. Also find how humanitarian relief efforts get organized and sustained and how young volunteers are involved in world affairs, historically and today, to explore. The National World War I Museum and Memorial is a partner to AFS Intercultural Program and helped develop this resource.

In the Classroom

Download individual lessons or the whole curriculum to be used offline. Engage students in an underlying theme or question, helping to bridge between past and present. Lessons are extensive and easy to adapt and use. Use handouts with a whole class, small group collaboration, or individual work. Be sure to download the Teacher Toolkit to take advantage of the extensive lesson resources. Use the Tips in each lesson to enhance your teaching experience, adapt activities to the global classroom, and find more activities and homework ideas. Visit the link to the Museum's companion exhibit, here, for more resources.

Can you guess the secret location? Explore landmarks from all over the world and try to guess the country where you are located. Begin by choosing your interests from categories such as history or entertainment. Begin play, but think quickly! Choose the correct location of each image within 12 seconds before it is marked wrong. As you select an answer, information is provided about the location of the correct response.

In the Classroom

Where in the World? is a great activity to play together on your interactive whiteboard when you have a few extra minutes of class time. Explore famous landmarks from the comfort of your room. Share the locations using Google Earth, reviewed here.

American Panorama includes interactive maps demonstrating changes in the United States since the 1800's. This ongoing project will be adding additional maps, current ones provide information on The Forced Migration of Enslaved People, Trails, Canals, and Foreign-Born Population. Click on any map to explore the many features including keyword searches and interactive timelines.

In the Classroom

Bookmark these interactive maps for use throughout the year to examine American issues in deeper detail. Share the locations using Google Earth, reviewed here, to get a first-hand look at the geography of the region. This tool is a great find for gifted students. Have them explore in-depth different changes to America over the past two centuries. Challenge students to make a multimedia presentation using information found in their research. Use a tool like Zeetings, reviewed here. Zeetings allows adding polls, videos, embeds, web links, PowerPoint, and PDFs.

Geopedia incorporates maps with Wikipedia to show Wikipedia articles for any location. Enter a location in the search bar to view a map with placeholders indicating Wikipedia articles in different areas on the map. Click on the placeholder to read the article. Change preferences for the search radius, number of results, and language using the settings link.

In the Classroom

Assign students various countries, regions, or continents to make comparisons of information found in the Wikipedia articles. Bring a greater understanding to current economic and environmental issues in many countries. World language (or World Cultures) classes can help students understand the cultures of the countries where the language is spoken. Compare specific attributes of two countries using an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Have cooperative learning groups use this resource to create online books about the country of their tour using a resource such as Bookemon, reviewed here.

National Geographic offers this kid-centric site as a companion to National Geographic Kids and Little Kids magazines. The focus is on information about animals, geography, and the natural world presented in a fun and engaging format. Use this busy interactive site for free, register to gain access to more content. Buttons on the home page lead to short videos, images, stories, polls, news bites, games, and activities. The site includes heavy advertising for the magazine subscriptions. A search box at the top right allows for exploration of the extensive content. Students may submit photos or comments to the "My Shot" picture gallery all of which are selected to be posted by site administrators.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

This site is perfect for interactive whiteboards or projectors. Display the site on your whiteboard to use as a learning center for students. Select videos for lesson introductions or flipped or blended learning activities. For language arts, practice finding the main idea or summarizing stories using these interesting informational texts. ESL/ELL learners can also find accessible news stories here. Choose words from stories to include with weekly spelling tests or as vocabulary builders. Assign different stories to groups of students to summarize and present to the class. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos about any article on the site. Upload images (use Creative Commons or other copyright-safe pictures) and use Moovly, reviewed here, for this project. Then share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Use the site for learning games that will appeal more to younger students. Preview all video since some feature animals hunting which may upset some students.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from July 2016, opens in Adobe Connect. Learn the basics of creating a virtual field trip of what students are reading using the Google Lit Trips concept and Google Maps. To motivate and enrich student reading, collect web resources and images about a title and place them geographically using the power of Google Maps, instead of the usual Google Earth application which may not be available at many schools. Discussion will include choosing appropriate titles, selecting resources to enrich the reading experience. creating a map of important aspects of the story, finding other Lit Trips, and using the Lit Trips in class. As a result of this session and through individual follow-up, teachers will: 1. Learn what is a Google Lit Trip Learn tips about choosing a title; 2. Learn how to find appropriate resources about the book; 3. Learn how to create a customized Google Map; and 4. Explore ideas on using Lit Trips in the classroom. Remember, it is OK2Ask'® questions at any time! This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.